Bereaved Father: Stop Releasing Terrorists

Ron Kehrmann, whose daughter was murdered by a suicide bomber in Haifa, says that terrorist releases have only resulted in more terrorism.

By Elad Benari

First Publish: 11/15/2013, 3:43 AM

Celebrating murderers' release

Israel news photo: Flash 90

Ron Kehrmann, whose 17-year-old daughter Tal was murdered by a suicide bomber on a Haifa bus in 2003, said on Thursday that it is time to stop capitulating to the United States on releasing terrorists.

Speaking to Arutz Sheva, Kehrmann said that the Israeli government should cancel future terrorist releases as a “gesture” to the Palestinian Authority, as these “gestures” have proven to only increase terrorism.

"The prime minister has been wrong, on both the Palestinian issue and the Iranian issue, and the entire way of thinking is evaporating before our very eyes," he said.

"Since the first release of terrorists, there have been 18 attacks that have been reported on, and many more that do not make it to the media. Everyone knows why the murder in Afula yesterday took place. As long as the incitement continues and the released terrorists are treated as heroes by the Palestinian Authority, these will be the results,” added Kehrmann.

He noted that Israel is the only country that releases murderers and receives nothing in return. "This is a matter of life and death, we must stop it."

Even before Wednesday’s murder of soldier Eden Atias, there have been calls on the government to cancel further terrorist releases, but those calls have increased since the attack.

Following the attack, demonstrators converged on the Afula Central Bus Station, where the murder took place, in a spontaneous outpouring of public anger.

The demonstrators, mostly young people, streamed through the station with pickets and chants, and garnered support among many passersby.

Angry protesters shouted "Jewish blood is not cheap!" and "Death to Arabs!"

"We continue to make difficult concessions which costus human lives while the Palestinians continue to engage in words. The situation in which Israel endangers its sons and daughters while the Palestinians celebrate the release of murderers is intolerable and should be stopped immediately," he added.

Deputy Transportation Minister Tzipi Hotovely (Likud) told Arutz Sheva after Wednesday’s attack that it "is another proof that the Palestinian Authority is not willing to negotiate with Israel", and that its only motivation is to gain "international legitimacy for terror attacks."